good morning, and welcome to "al jazeera america." i'm morgan bradford live from new york city. syria talks continue in geneva as prisoner exchanges top the agenda. both sides work to get humanitarian aid into homs. they are digging in their heels. demonstrators in the ukraine reject the president's concession and vow to keep on going. edward notice den tells a german television station that government spying helped big businesses right here in the u.s.

unfortunately, the super bowl is played in new jersey, unfortunately. >> here it comes. the battle line has been drawn, and that line appears to be the hudson river. new jersey wants the whole world to know the super bowl isn't happening in new york. this in third day of peace talks they have not come to agreements. these are the first face-to-face meetings between the two sides of the conflict that killed 130,000 people since it began. the two sides have nots yet spoken directly to each other, but today's meeting focus on two items, prisoner exchange and how to get aid into homs. the united nations says it would be prepared to start sending food, medicine and other supplies to homes as early as today if both sides agree, but

so far they haven't. tomorrow the u.n. hoping to discuss political transition, but the syrian government has so far refused to discuss even that. nick joins us now where the syrian government and the opposition leaders are meeting. nick, a lot has been made about this prison exchange, but what exactly is on the table? is it the community of prisoners? what's at stake here? >> reporter: what the coalition is talking about is about 1500 prisoners who are women and children. they point to a recent study or a recent leak from police photographer that came out of syria and provided to news organizations photos of what he alleges are 11,000 prisoners who have been tortured. hosh, horrific photos that reminded a lot of people coming out of gas chambers during world what two. the coalition is says this is an example of the regime brutality

and what's going on in the prisons. they say this isn't happening in our prisons. we'll talk about some of our fighters you have. right now the two sides are talking preliminarily about those prisoners, but they haven't come to an agreement yet. >> nick, we know both sides are discussing bringing aid into homs. what's keeping them from just being a really quick agreement? >> reporter: yeah. this is the key point of the discussion today. we've heard from both sides trying to argue. the answer to that question depends on who you ask. if you ask the u.s. coalition, they blame the regime. they say they have blockaded medicine and water from homs in the past few months. a man in homs thoughed me he was eating bark. that's all they had. let's listen to the coalition, the opposition, trying to put pressure on the government to alleviate the pain in homs.

>> nick, it sounds like we're missing that sound bite. we'll come back to that leader. if the syrian government lets relief supplies in, is that a good faith move to build trust at the negotiating table? >> reporter: that is exactly what the opposition and the u.s. says. they say, look, we're not getting to a full agreement or get to any kind of peace deal in the next week or the next few months. what they hope to do is get the two sides to agree on anything, really. the main things that they're discussing are prisoners and homs. some kind of aid, any kind of aid into that besieged city. they say homs is easy. it's not a big area. there's not a lot of people there. there's only 1,000 families left down from 1 million people there

before this war began. if we can get homs -- get some aid into homs in that small area, then perhaps we can expand that into larger areas. >> nick is life from geneva. thank you. protesters in ukraine are stanning their ground after rejecting the president's offer to join the government. the unrest stepped up in recent days with demonstrators attacking a government building overnight with police officers still inside. let's go to our correspondent jennifer glasse who is live in kiev following the developments since the begin. cull tell us what's happening right now? >> reporter: you know, dark has fallen again here in kiev. it's been a relatively quiet day, but we see demonstrations spread further across the country in two more cities today as demonstrators take over buildings associated with the government. now, that's something we saw here in the ukrainian capital

late last night. in the heart of the capital, ukraine's besieged the former lenin museum, afraid police inside were waiting to ambush demonstration. this is the latest civil unrest as the anti-government movement grows. with demonstrations spreading across the nation, president yanukovych meets with opposition leaders. he's now offering to share power and to reform laws for speech and assembly passed just a week ago. while the three opposition leade leaders. >> translator: our clear position is to ascend these laws. our commands are to hold presidential elections already this year. and we are not stepping back.

>> reporter: they also want the release of dozens of demonstrators detained by the government. while they have barricades, there's little time to worry about politics here. this is the public face of their battle against the guard. concessions by viktor yanukovych too late too late. many say they're going to take their country back. this is their fight, and they want to show the people that they are here to stay. they're ready for a fight, even if it's just with stones. as protesters try to take over the museum, they broke windows and used fireworks as missiles. the leaders have urged peace in the movement. right now it's not clear who is in charge. and so now the question beginning who ends up in charge. the political jokeying is starting, and the presidential

offer of joining the goth rejected by the opposition. they say negotiations will continue, but they continue to keep up the pressure not only here but around the country. also, a new ultimatum today. they say the president needs to release everybody who has been detained during these demonstrations in the last eight weeks. they say if he doesn't do it himself, then they're going to step things up and try and free those people on their own. >> in talking about stepping things up, jennifer, help us explain something. this thing started almost as a pro-eu verse russia discrepancy. has it morped into something more, more like an east versus west? >> reporter: that's exactly right. president yanukovych failed to sign a long-anticipated trade agreement with the european union. that brought people out in the streets. they hoped that agreement might change things here. corruption is seen as rife, and

transparency international called ukraine the most corrupt country in europe. the people hoped the trade agreement with europe would help at least bring corruption under control and give regular ukrainians a chance at success here. when the president didn't sign the agreement in november, they came out on the streets and he ignored them. when they cracked down, instead of quelling the protests, the protest just grew and grew. eight weeks later this is where we are with the president now negotiating with the people he opposed. >> it still sounds like it's growing. jennifer glasse live for you in kiev. former contractor edward snowden says national security isn't the nsa's purpose. they collect dat to help u.s. corporations have an unfair

advantage. >> they spy on other successful german companies to prevail to have the advantage of knowing what is going on in the scientific and economic realm. >> i don't want to preempt the editorial decisions of journalists. i will say there's no question that the u.s. is engaged in economic spying. if there's information at siemens the national interests, they'll go after that information and take it. >> that interview was conducted at an undisclosed location for german tv. a russian lawmakers says moscow plans to extend the offer of asylum to snowden beyond august. the police have identified the gunman at dares nor began. there's no word on the motive or

if he had ties to the victims. lisa stark has more on how saturday's events all unfolded. >> reporter: a busy shopping morning turned into chaos. police, s.w.a.t. teams, ambulances rush to the mall arriving after 911 calls began pouring in reporting a gunman. inside there was panic. >> i see people running, and i heard some people screaming and i heard it again. it was just boom, boom, boom. people just started screaming and running. it was just complete madness. >> reporter: police say the first officers were on scene within two minutes. they found three people dead of gunshot wounds, one of them the shooter who was armed with a shotgun and apparently killed himself. the two victims worked in a store on the second floor alled zoomies. they have now been identified at 21-year-old brianna and 25-year-old tyler johnson. five people were injured, one with a gunshot wound to the foot. the others apparently hurt in

the rush to get out. authorities had to comb the mall to make certain there weren't other shooters and to he is court to safety shoppers and employees who had scrambled into hiding. >> the tactical teams went through every inch of the mall, and it has been cleared. >> reporter: it took hours to clear the mall. andrew mueller and his 4-year-old son evan finally left in the afternoon after being interviewed by police. >> i think i initially thought -- it was also thought that can't be shots. >> sheez scenes have become all too common. >> our hearts and the police department's hearts go out to the families of people that love their lives today. this shouldn't happen in the columbia mall. it shouldn't happen anywhere. unfortunately, that's where we are in society. next, an american father's frustration. he's been stuck in the democratic republic of congo for months now trying to bring home his adoptive son. president obama gets ready to face the nation for his state of the union address. we'll look at the issues topping

his agenda.

>> evey sunday night, join us for exclusive, revealing, and suprizing talks with the most interesting people of our time. >> our journalists are the best journalists in the world. >> she's the first female executive editor of the new york times. >> there's no question that the editorial stance is a liberal point of view. >> the head of the paper of record goes on the record with talk to al jazeera.

only on al jazeera america. welcome back to "al jazeera america." i'm morgan radford, and these are the top stories. we get a preview of what to expect from president obama's state of union address this tuesday. the white house released an e-mail to supporters on saturday forecasting a set of proposals to strengthen the middle class and push immigration reform. a top aide says three words sum up the message, which are opportunity, action and optimism. a tennessee couple is among dozens of americans desperate to bring home adropted children in congress doe. there are thoughs of orphaned children in the nation, but they suspended foreign adoptions leaving parents with little to do but hope and wait. we have the story. >> reporter: she has everything ready for her two adopted boys. their room is filled with shirts

and stools and a cute stool to sit on. no one is here to use them. >> it just breaks my heart. i want to adopt as many as i can. they don't have anybody to love them or take care of them. >> justin carroll left for congo in november thinking he'd come home shortly with their sons, but months later they're still 7,000 miles from home. elena asked us to hide the faces in these photos for security reasons. justin has missed a lot in the months. the biggest change is the new daughter born on december 25th. >> she doesn't look the same as she did when she was first born. she's 2 months old almost. she's changing and growing and out of her newborn stuff. it's just getting hard. >> reporter: here's the problem. last year the democratic republic of congo suspended exit permits for families with ato wanted congolese children, even though that met the criteria.

>> it has nothing to do with adoption, but has everything to do with politics. >> reporter: bob is a nashville lawyer specializing in adoption. >> usually adoption as a foil, as a tactic, suspending adoption as a tactic to achieve some other kind of diplomatic win, no, it does not work. >> the motive for stopping the adoptions is unclear. the state department says applications for exit permits are being held up because of concerns about falsified documents. the rc authorities have said it was over concerns about abuse or abandoned children or that some children were, quote, sold to homosexuals. whatever the reason, eilelena a her husband have no choice but to communicate through skype. it's the only way to see the boys, and dad can see his new daughter. justin told us even though it's an unstable and possibly violent situation, they feel safe. >> with any couldn't like the congo, you know, instability,

something can always happen. there's that chance that you can wake up one day, and it's a very, very unsafe day. >> elena will keep the christmas decorations up until they come home from africa and a dad can see his daughter for the first time. jonathan martin, al jazeera, nashville. one of the thailand's most senior opposition leaders has been shot dead. he was attacked in his car moments after giving a speech. this follows days of large protests where demonstrators are blocking access to polling stations trying to stop early votes in the upcoming elections. scott has that story. >> reporter: he was gunned down after he and fellow anti-government protesters finished their assign. of the day. he was in a pickup truck when he was shot. >> translator: they shot us several times.

bang, bang, bang, they shot us. >> reporter: several other pro teers were injured in the shooting. the concern is about the violence, and what it could mean for the general election slated for february 2nd. the protesters were successful in shutting down most of the advanced polling positioning on sunday. in bangkok out of 50 districts the election commission stopped voting in a total of 45 districts. 33 districts in central bangkok, and 12 districts in western bangkok. >> reporter: so the concern here is that more violence and confrontation will take place if the general election is held next sunday. the election commission wants it postponed. the protesters are demanding the resignation of the government and its care taker prime minister that they see as corrupt. the opposition is boycotting the election, the protesters were blockade it and the government is it standing firm saying the only way to postpone is if the protesters end their shut down.

they will hold talks on tuesday but there's no indication either side will change its stance. coming up next on al jazeera america. >> they should know that the game is being held in new jersey. >> there you have it. the seahawks versus the probron isn't the biggest match-up. instead it's new jersey versus new york coming up next. plus, breaking with tradition for the very first time, girls are performing at england's kantcanterbury cathed. those stories and a whole lot more when "al jazeera america" returns.

in the village the deputy mayor remembers him and wonders where

good afternoon, and welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm morgan bradford live from new york city.

protesters in kiev reject the plans. it's day three of syrian peace talks in gentleman neef va where the united nations says it could send aid to homs as early as monday if the two sides can agree. three years after the uprising, a toppled president hosni mubarak, egyptians gathered in cairo to celebrate. they were in stark contrast of the violence that killed 49 people on the third anniversary of the revolution. the super bowl is just a week away, and as fans get ready to walk the seahawks and broncos duke it out on the turf, there's some confusion over exactly which turf they play on. alan explains why. >> reporter: the official logo says nynj, new york new jersey. ask people across the country where the big game is played this year and they'll likely tell you -- >> new york.

>> new york. >> the big apple. new york. >> unfortunately, the super bowl is being played in new jersey, unfortunately. >> reporter: that's the problem, isn't it? there's the city over there. gotham, the big apple, the city that never sleeps. it is a hell of a town to be sure, but the game is going to be played over here, one state line and a couple of rivers away in east rutherford, new jersey. so new jersey in sight of but so far from the center of the super bowl universe across the hudson can be forgiven if they're a little miffed. >> everything may be directed at new york, but the game will be held in new jersey. >> if you look at the ticket itself, it just shows manhattan and show jersey city with a little circle like that. i don't think that's fair. >> super bowl advertising is new york centric. look how the nfl is promoting the game. all over manhattan you find super bowl reminders, including 12 blocks of broadway through

times square that have become super bowl boulevard. not to be sidelined on this issue, jersey city's columbus drive will be known for one glorious week as super bowl drive. also, both teams are staying in jersey city, and the circus that is media day will be held in newark. certainly hundreds of millions will be spent here, and none of this comes as a shock to the garden state. >> we appreciate all the accolades and all of the advertisement and all. we appreciate all the attention. but the game is being held in new jersey. >> reporter: for jersey the whole thing is a bit of a familiar cold shoulder, from the first cold weather super bowl in nfl history. alan shock ler, al jazeera, east rutter ford, new jersey. talking about the cold, it's a chilly start across the big

apple and new jersey. we're going to have to continue to deal with that cold air as we move closer and closer to the super bowl. that's right. the temperatures we experience at the beginning of january, well, they're on their way back. look at this deep trough in the jet stream. all that cold air out of canada bringing alberta clipper after alberta clipper. right now we're on the heels of a storm that pushed across the region yesterday and another one is coming across the ohio valley now. going to push into western portions of pennsylvania in the next couple of hours and also on its way to the i-95 corridor. that chilly air is continuing to push towards the south. we have really chili temperatures on the way. we're talking about temperatures around the freezing mark as we head into tonight, and the wind not helping it at all. the winds gust around 20 miles per hour in new york city right now. it feels like 3 degrees. morgan doesn't like the cold and i don't either. we have blizzard warnings in effect across portions of

north dakota and down into iowa. it's making it even chillier with the winds blowing around 29 miles per hour in rapid city. it will create blizzard-like conditions with blowing and drifting snow reducing visibility later on today making travel possibly very hazardous. you need to be careful along i-94 and i-90. look at the temperatures right now in chicago. it feels like minus 4 degrees in the windy city, and the winds are a problem through the course of the day, morgan. back to you. >> thanks so much. one of britain's oldest cathedral puts an end to a 1,000-year tradition. the all girls choir gave their debut performance on saturday. we were there at the rehearsal. >> reporter: the ancient stones of canterbury cathedral are no stranger to the human voice and song. it's been atradition for centuries. under the small roof, the faith of that tradition is changing.

this is the cathedral's first all-female choir. >> we started it with the fact ladies sing in church. boys were taken to formal traveling. we're really delighted to have this opportunity to give girls from local schools the chance to come and sing in this building. >> reporter: 16 of them selected from the 40 or so who applied in november. on saturday they'll perform songs in the cathedral purple kasiks. >> we were really excited when we found out, because it's exactly the same as the boys and men. >> reporter: is that important to you? >> yeah. we finally got here. now we're equal. >> reporter: some of the statues here at canterbury have been gazing at congregations coming and going for the best part of 1,000 years, and there was a

church here way before the cathedral. never in all that time has there been an all-female choir. that's some tradition to be messing around with. the dean here, robert willis, denies there was any specific reason for bringing male choral domination to an end before now. >> why not really? the tradition had lasted a long time, it just felt to us and around us, we must do this. there are girls certainly who want to sing, and we have the resources to do this. >> reporter: to begin with they depp ties when the boys are on holiday, but the girls' role will surely grow. unlike a young boy, a girl's voice doesn't break with adolescence, and including girls doubles the available talent

pool. an all-female choir clearly makes sense, and it's just taken this venerable institution 1,000 years to realize it. al jazeera, canterbury. thanks so much for watching al jazeera. i'm morgan radford. see you shortly. ♪ ♪ hello, i am richard and you are at the listening post. this week turkey's prime minister accuses the media inspiring against his democratic elected. but they say he is just blowing spoke. a number of reporters have signed up with the obama administration. three more journalists are murdered in pakistan and the taliban say they did the